Back in the fall of 2012, Mike Dolce flew out to Southern California to meet with Cris Cyborg. At the time, the former Strikeforce featherweight champion was preparing to return from a one-year suspension for a positive steroids test, and looking forward to turning the page. Her future, though, was cloudy. While her longtime promotion was about to fold into the UFC, and UFC president Dana White announced a women's division would be included, the competition would be limited to 135-pounders. That was a weight that Cyborg had never approached in her career.

For two hours over dinner, Cyborg and Dolce discussed the possibility of her making that magic number. At the time, Cyborg was not training much, and weighed 168 pounds. While Dolce queried her about her dieting and workout habits, she laid out her reservations about the major downward shift.

After years of helping athletes achieve their fitness goals, Dolce didn't require much time to assess things. From what he heard and saw, he was confident in telling her she could easily make the weight, which would set up a superfight with bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. By the time Dolce and Cyborg shook hands and parted, Dolce believed they were on the same page. Cyborg told him she would just have to speak to her management. But as time passed, a follow-up call from Cyborg or her Primetime 360 advisors never came, according to Dolce.

Instead, the next time he heard his name in connection with Cyborg, it was in the media, with Primetime 360's Tito Ortiz saying it was impossible for Cyborg to make 135 pounds. At that announcement, Dolce could only scratch his head.

"As a professional, I stand on my resume," Dolce told MMA Fighting. "If she had done the things necessary in November, December and January, it would have been easy for her to make 135 in February."

While that number was at the center of most conversations in the media regarding the inability to make the Cyborg-Rousey fight, it was not the deal-breaker it's been reported to be.

During the ongoing negotiations, which lingered for about two months, the promotion agreed to pay for the services of a dieting and nutrition consultant like Dolce. But there were other points that the two sides could not agree on.

The biggest issue, according to Cyborg's management firm Primetime 360, was Zuffa treating Cyborg as a bit player rather than an event co-star.

"Every pay-per-view megafight requires two participants, and they weren't giving Cris her just credit," Primetime 360 partner George Prajin told MMA Fighting. "They were compensating Ronda like she was the only attraction of the fight."

Despite several public statements by Cyborg and Ortiz that Cyborg could not make 135, as well as a failed practice cut led by Ortiz, Prajin told MMA Fighting that Cyborg would have attempted the drop to 135 if the sides struck a deal, but a contract fell apart for two reasons. First, the money was not right. And second, she was only interested in a short-term agreement.

The two sides could never get past the fact that Zuffa insisted on an eight-fight contract. Prajin said three fights would have been a fair compromise, that way, the UFC could have set up a Rousey-Cyborg fight, a potential rematch, and then one other bout. In exchange, Cyborg would agree to make 135, but only three times and then be free to return to a weight she believes to be her true home.

"Basically, her fighting at 135 is handicapping her," said Prajin. "We were willing to do that, and cut down and go work with Mike and get to 135 to do the fight because Cris wanted to fight Ronda. However, when they said we had to do it for eight fights? She doesn't want to do the cut eight times when all she wants to do is fight Ronda and beat Ronda. After Ronda, there is really nothing left for her."Prajin said their negotiating leverage was taken away by Cyborg's inactivity and positive steroid result, and that he and Ortiz discussed producing an independent MMA event just to get her fights and disprove White's statement that she was "irrelevant." Instead, they asked for and received a release from Zuffa, and quickly came to a three-fight deal with Invicta Fighting Championships, where she recently defeated Fiona Muxlow by first-round TKO

According to Prajin, the Invicta deal was preferable because it is paying Cyborg more than the UFC offer, and contains an out clause after the second fight if the UFC -- and presumably Rousey -- comes calling.

"We may make it seem like it's more about money, but it's more about respect," Prajin said. "Cris is a humble person. She doesn't drive a fancy car. She beat Gina Carano and proved she was the best at that time, and she got nothing out of it. She got a gold belt around her waist. She told us, 'Hey, I don't care about the UFC.' She knows in her heart people know she's the best. She'll go to Invicta, Japan. She doesn't have anything to prove to anyone. Ronda may hear she's the best in the world, but she has to go to bed at night knowing that's not true until she fights Cris."

While specific terms of Cyborg's Invicta deal are not public, in the last fight of Santos' Strikeforce deal, she made a $33,000 base salary and earned a $33,000 win bonus. By comparison, Rousey had a $45,000 purse and earned a $45,000 win bonus for beating Liz Carmouche at UFC 157, but she also received a bonus based upon pay-per-view sales that likely bumped her total compensation into the mid six-figures.

The financial issues are not the only remaining obstacle in the way of a Cyborg-Rousey fight. Cyborg has a July featherweight championship date with Marloes Coenen at Invicta FC 6, while Rousey will coach the next season of The Ultimate Fighter before attempting to defend her belt against Cat Zingano around December.

Even if Cyborg and Rousey keep winning and the collision course becomes inevitable, the issue of weight will no doubt re-emerge. While Dolce said he was disappointed with how things were handled after his first meeting with Cyborg, he said he likes her and would still be willing to work with her in a more professional relationship.

He also continues to maintain that Cyborg could easily make 135, citing as evidence a photo Cyborg tweeted the night before the Invicta FC 5 weigh-ins, when she weighed 145.7 pounds.

"She's 10 pounds above the [135-pound] class the day before weigh-ins, which is exactly what she's supposed to be," he said. "That's a 135-pound athlete right there. That issue is all smoke and mirrors. She's a 135-pounder."

Prajin said he and Ortiz respect the work Dolce has done with clients ranging from Chael Sonnen to Vitor Belfort to Johny Hendricks, and that the camp's previous assertions that Cyborg couldn't make 135 was no reflection on him. In fact, if a superfight does come together, they would consider bringing him in to help.

Primetime's ultimate hope is that Rousey will want to fight Cyborg, or that public demand becomes so overwhelming that Zuffa has no choice but to put them together. And while Cyborg's side still contends the fight would be better suited at a 140-pound catchweight, Prajin wouldn't completely shut the door on the superfight's controversial magic number.

"I don't think we would try it," he said, "unless the UFC really, really made it worth Cris' while."

I know everyone loves some Rhonda and Cyborg is ugly and was on steroids or squirrel piss whatever, but I think even a clean Cyborg is too big for Rousey and if she is unable to get the fight to the ground it will be a short night for her.

Without reading the article yet, I would say it has that potential. Rousey has to get by Cat and personally I'd like Cat to win.(Prefer strikers) Problem is, Cat seems to be a late starter, like a freight train cresting and on it's way down a hill, Rousey is the opposite, ripping arms off in the 1st round. Seeing Cat get caught by Tate in an armbar doesn't help the outlook.

So it's almost a foregone conclusion that Rousey will still be the Champ. Slightly less of a sure thing is Cyborg getting by Marleos, but if she does, she'll be a belt holder. And now we know she (Cyborg) can make the weight. Champion vs Champion.

Unless it does close to a mill in ppv then no it's not a super fight. At this time there is no way it will do those numbers... GSP vs Anderson and Bones vs Anderson are currently the only super fights in the UFC.

Cris Cyborg is irrelevant. Both Liz Carmouche & Cat Zingano have more hype behind them now than Cyborg does. Dana wasn't kidding when he said the bus is already moving. She missed it.

If I was the UFC I would not make any concessions for Cris or Tito whatsoever. They had their chance. At the end of the day they both have to go to bed realizing that Tito f**ked up her career.

I don't know I think a lot of people still have Cyborg as the best or 2nd best womens fighter in the world. We will see with Zingano vs Rousey but after her and Mcmann if Rousey was to win there really at the time is only 1 other reqally marketable fight and thats Cyborg especially if she demolished Coenen.

Besides I think she is getting good money in Invicta and still has the most high profile win of any female fighter and that is against Carano.

Unless it does close to a mill in ppv then no it's not a super fight. At this time there is no way it will do those numbers... GSP vs Anderson and Bones vs Anderson are currently the only super fights in the UFC.

Yeah, If Ronda herself can headline a card that does 450k then i think it's safe to say there is NO WAY in hell Cyborg is going to account for another 450k which would bring it up to the super-fight level.

I think a well put together card featuring Ronda vs Cyborg could probably do 600k.

I don't know I think a lot of people still have Cyborg as the best or 2nd best womens fighter in the world. We will see with Zingano vs Rousey but after her and Mcmann if Rousey was to win there really at the time is only 1 other reqally marketable fight and thats Cyborg especially if she demolished Coenen.

Besides I think she is getting good money in Invicta and still has the most high profile win of any female fighter and that is against Carano.

You still have Tara LaRosa who alot of people had as the #1 female fighter in the world for many years. She's still relevant. You still have Miesha Tate trying to climb back up the ladder.

Tara Larosa still relevant, she just lost, missed weight and you'd be hard pressed to find her in any top 10 Bw rankings.

She's 21-3. And she missed weight trying to make 125. If she's gonna make a run at bantam she still has more experience than any other female in the sport. Aside from Tara, Rosi Sexton is another veteran with only 2 losses (Carano/Frausto). So there is quite a bit of "quality" opponents migrating to the UFC bantamweight division.

She's 21-3. And she missed weight trying to make 125. If she's gonna make a run at bantam she still has more experience than any other female in the sport. Aside from Tara, Rosi Sexton is another veteran with only 2 losses (Carano/Frausto). So there is quite a bit of "quality" opponents migrating to the UFC bantamweight division.

Right but to get to a superfight you need 2 fighters whose known to the general public.

The casual fans is what turns a 450k ppv into a 700k ppv, just the way of the world, it was all the reason why Lesnar was a huge PPV monster and DLH was a PPV monster for boxing.

Whether its cause of the steroids or the fact she looks like a dude other than Carano and Rousey, shes by far the biggest name.. that being said

Right but to get to a superfight you need 2 fighters whose known to the general public.

The casual fans is what turns a 450k ppv into a 700k ppv, just the way of the world, it was all the reason why Lesnar was a huge PPV monster and DLH was a PPV monster for boxing.

Whether its cause of the steroids or the fact she looks like a dude other than Carano and Rousey, shes by far the biggest name.. that being said

I would venture to say Carano vs Rousey would do huge ratings.

Gina Carano hasn't fought in nearly 4 yrs and has retired. The sport doesn't need Gina Carano. As big as she was and as much as people thought the longevity hung on her success, the sport (wmma) is actually bigger now without her. Same goes with Cyborg.

All that has happened over the past year involving wmma/ufc/Invicta has been without the aid of Carano or Cyborg. Cris Cyborg wasn't even the headliner of Invicta 5. I understand people THINK she's needed in the sport, but she's not.

5 years ago if I asked you to name 5 female fighters and I spotted you Carano & Cyborg I would imagine the majority of people would struggle to do it. Now names like Ronda, Miesha, Liz, Cat, Waterson, Thugg Rose are all on the tip of peoples tongues. And all of that happened without Carano or Cyborg.

The thing is they don't need this fight and if it does materialize it sure wont be any time soon. UFC should focus on SUPER CARDS and this fight may possibly be part of one way down the road but RR has a lot of competition with the current and future bantamweights on the Roster that actually fight at 135. Cyborg had a chance but she met Tito and decided to take a path that makes no sense if she really wanted a piece of Ronda that bad. If she didn't get caught cheating the fight probably would have happened allready in STRIKEFORCE. DW may approach RR about a fight w/Cyborg at some point but I don't think it's as certain as a lot of you think

Gina Carano hasn't fought in nearly 4 yrs and has retired. The sport doesn't need Gina Carano. As big as she was and as much as people thought the longevity hung on her success, the sport (wmma) is actually bigger now without her. Same goes with Cyborg.

All that has happened over the past year involving wmma/ufc/Invicta has been without the aid of Carano or Cyborg. Cris Cyborg wasn't even the headliner of Invicta 5. I understand people THINK she's needed in the sport, but she's not.

5 years ago if I asked you to name 5 female fighters and I spotted you Carano & Cyborg I would imagine the majority of people would struggle to do it. Now names like Ronda, Miesha, Liz, Cat, Waterson, Thugg Rose are all on the tip of peoples tongues. And all of that happened without Carano or Cyborg.

They may be on the tip of your tongue and hardcore mma watchers but I am pretty sure the casual fans who as stated before are the difference between a 450k ppv and a 700k ppv probably have no idea outside of Rousey who the hell these women are, even if Carano hasn't fought in years, she still is known in the mma circles and her endeavors as an actress can only help with casual fans.

I am not saying womens MMA needs Carano, I am not saying Rousey doesn't have compeition and womens MMA is stronger today than back when Carano was fighting BUT the fact still remains Carano vs Rousey would prob do the biggest ppv out of any 2 women including possibly Cyborg.

I know everyone loves some Rhonda and Cyborg is ugly and was on steroids or squirrel piss whatever, but I think even a clean Cyborg is too big for Rousey and if she is unable to get the fight to the ground it will be a short night for her.

I have to ask, how is Cyborg too big? Ronda did Judo at 70kg or 155 lbs. Cyborg fights at 145. Just because Ronda is the 135lb champ and fights there does not mean she is smaller. Although she is what, 2" shorter, still makes no difference. Remember, Ronda fought all her fights before Meisha at 145!